1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system. More specifically, the present invention relates generally to a computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system for the acoustic monitoring of internal data processing system components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer networks allow increased computing power, sharing of resources, and communications between users. These networks have grown to represent large investments on the parts of businesses, governments, and educational institutions and these organizations spend large amounts of time and money maintaining their networks. According to industry research, an average 5000-user corporate network costs more than $6.4 million to support each year. Thus, to many network decision makers the real concern, as we head into the 21st century, is not so much migrating to faster technologies, such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), but reducing the costs associated with supporting and operating the networks they use today.
One of the principle costs associated with maintaining a network is the time spent on system management. Networks are not static systems. As companies and organizations grow and change, so do their networks. Thus, network devices are constantly being added or replaced to meet the changing needs of the people using the network. When new devices are added or old ones replaced, the new devices need to be integrated into the Fault Management System. A Fault Management System monitors the hardware portions and software applications of the network for failures. Currently, this involves reprogramming various aspects of the network to ensure that all aspects of the network function correctly.
Service processor sensors are useful for communicating hardware level failure alerts. However, for each specific component that one is interested in monitoring, the failure mode must be known. Additionally, a circuit must then be designed to sense the failure.